After Co-President Brad Ruth led us in the Pledge of Allegiance, Annette Oborn, Program Host, followed with an invocation from a club in Bangladesh.
Brad thanked Steve and Gail for getting us all checked in this morning. He welcomed our guests, Mary Parr and Todd Hardy as well as Rev. Jeff Kaiser, Don Hutchinson and Rev. Ben Walker from The Haven of Rest.
CONGRATULATIONS:
Wedding Anniversary: Marty and Debbie Tass will celebrate their wedding anniversary next Tuesday. It was good to see Marty back from Florida this morning.
Birthdays: Karen Monbeck and Linda Trevorrow both will celebrate their birthdays next Monday.
Congratulations: to Mary Dula for getting home from the hospital. Keep up the good healing work you are doing.
50/50 DRAWING
After the winning ticket was drawn, Marty Tass pulled the 2 of diamonds, so we are still waiting for the Joker.
ANNOUNCEMENTS:
District Conference: Bob Oborn, conference chair, reported that over 300 people are registered for the conference this weekend. After not being sure what was going to happen with COVID, it is great to see this kind of response. Bob is very excited about the level of speakers this year.
Interact:
Thanks to Dick Hall,Brad Ruth and Dave Henderson for helping load and transport the 629 pounds of plastic caps that will be recycled into benches for the high school. Dick delivered the first bench to the high school on Monday and the others will be ready in two weeks.
The Stuff the Bus supplies have been relocated to the high school, so that Interact students can organize the supplies and get ready to gran teacher wishes by the beginning of May.
Rotary was thanked for paying for the lunches of the Interact members who will be at the District Conference this weekend. They will be working the carnival in the afternoon and will be evident in many of the Interact activities. Thanks to their advisor and our new member, Dinah Henderson, for all that she does with these leaders of the future.
Teammates Art Show:
The show will be next Tuesday morning, April 26 from 7:45-9:00 a.m. at the high school library. Brad encourages Rotarians to attend since the club gave them a grant toward this project.
Golf Outing:
Chair,Scott Miller said that sponsorships are coming in strong with $5200 so far. The fliers are in print, thanks to Gail Moseley and Eric Weber. Carrie Leising said that we need $25.00 gift cards and golf balls to use as prizes for the June 6th event. Give them to Carrie, Scott or Dick Hall.
Bulldog Bags: Deliver your donations to the lobby of City Hall by May 11. This time they are collecting cups of macaroni and cheese, juice boxes and cash donations for sun screen.
PROGRAM: Annette Oborn, Program Host told us that duirng COVID, C.J., their chocolate lab joined their family.
She then introduced Rev. Jeff Kaiser, Executive director of the Haven of Rest Ministries, located in Akron. He has been at the head of the ministry since 2011 after heading the men's ministries for over 8 years. He began by thanking the club for the large coffee donation and donation of over 700 personal care products for their spring collection.
He explained that the Haven is observing their 79th year this month. Operating out of three buildings, they address the needs of people with abuse issues, addiction, homelessness, mental illness, and generational poverty as the main reasons they need the services. Affordable housing is a huge need with a waiting list that is 20,000 deep right now. Women with children can be housed more quickly, but for them, it is a wait of at least 3-4 months. The Haven's emergency shelter programs provide helps for 1 week to 3 months and their longer term programs provide rehabilitation, counseling and other necessary services for often over a year. The goal is to change the trajectory of the people served between the past and the future by offering a safe and secure environment through which to heal.
Donations are very important since they have never received government funding since they opened in 1943. Their funding has come through grants, and donations from individuals and organizations. They have a staff covering three shifts with over 80 employees and a budget of about $10 million. The average age of their residents is between 18 and 45.
COVID provided particular challenges in sanitation, separation and shelter because places people normally go were closed. In case of an outbreak, an overflow shelter was established in the gym of The Chapel in Akron. The Haven provided cots and other agencies provided a variety of help. They also received a special outpouring of help from the community. During these past few years, the opiate epidemic and now fentanyl usage have brought particular challenges and sadness. We are encouraged to call the Haven for a tour or to become more familiar with the good that they do.
DATES TO REMEMBER:
Friday and Saturday, April 22 and 23, District Conference at Sheraton Suites
Tuesday, April 26, 7:45-9:00 a.m. Teammates Art Show at the high school's library.
Wednesday, April 27, 7:30, morning meeting at Bellacinos when Nate Leppo, Stow's Economic Development Director will be our speaker.
Saturday, April 30, Buses for Bags at the High School
Tuesday, May 3, Dinner celebration to honor Interact at The Barn at Silver Springs Park.
Saturday, May 7, Help Interact with the Memorial Gardens at the high school
Saturday, May 14, Heroes Day
Monday, June 6, Golf Outing at Silver Lake Country Club
Wednesday Evening October 12, Reverse Raffle/Silent Auction
Thursday Evening, December 15, Holiday Helping Hands
Submitted by Andy Denton
.png)
